Chapter 4

Hugo looked at me with a mocking grin and shouted at the camera, "Did you all hear that? He said we should call for a helicopter?

"Max is just afraid of taking responsibility, so he's making things up and trying to scare everyone!

"He's making a simple fracture sound life-threatening. Isn't he just looking for an excuse to stand by and do nothing?"

Hugo turned the crowd against me again.

"Exactly! What's wrong with using a splint? Isn't that what they do on TV?"

"The kid's worrying for nothing. He's just afraid of getting into trouble."

"Just help him already! Stop listening to that kid's nonsense. If we wait any longer, that guy could lose his leg!"

I looked at the ignorant crowd, feeling helpless. There was no way to make them understand.

I was trying to save Quentin, but they thought I was trying to hurt him.

Meanwhile, Hugo, who was truly putting Quentin's life at risk, had become their hero.

Hugo shoved me aside and reached for the aluminum splint and bandages attached to my backpack.

"Get out of my way! Don't try and stop me from helping Quentin."

I was afraid he'd kill Quentin with my supplies and then blame me for it, so I needed to make sure he understood the risk.

Instead, Hugo lost his temper and attacked me when he couldn't grab the supplies.

He kicked me in the knee. I lost my balance and crashed to the ground.

A rock cut open my palm, sending a sharp, searing pain through my hand.

Not one person in the crowd felt sorry for me.

"Good job! He deserved that."

"That jerk is getting in the way of saving a life. He ought to be taught a lesson!"

"Serves him right! What a selfish jerk!"

The voice in my head grew calm. "I think that kick did you a favor. It might teach you to stop feeling responsible for everyone and let others live with their choices.

"You've done all you can. Let them face the consequences."

I braced myself against the ground and slowly got back to my feet. Then I held my bleeding hand and quietly stepped aside.

Hugo finally got the splint and bandages, smiling as if he had won.

He crouched beside Quentin and faced the camera, ready to put on a show.

"Everyone, watch closely. I'm about to show you how to stabilize a fracture by the book!"

He grabbed Quentin's badly bent lower leg with both hands and took a deep breath. Then he suddenly forced it straight with all his strength.

I could almost predict what would happen next, so I squeezed my eyes shut in fear.

The sickening sound of bone breaking rang out, and the noisy crowd fell silent.

It sounded more real and terrifying than anything in a horror movie.

This time, Quentin's scream was a thousand times more convincing than his earlier act.

His eyes rolled back, and after two violent convulsions, he lost consciousness from the pain.

The other hikers backed away in fear and quickly left.

Only Hugo stayed where he was, looking pleased with himself.

He quickly secured Quentin's leg with the splint and wrapped it in bandages, then showed off to the camera.

"See that, guys? It was a perfect reset. When the paramedics get here, even the doctors will be impressed!"

The livestream was filled with praise.

Half an hour later, a rescue helicopter arrived, and trained medical staff rappelled down on ropes.

"What's the patient's condition?"

"Sir, we suspect a shinbone fracture. Someone has already applied a splint," a young doctor reported.

A senior doctor hurried over. The sight of Quentin's neatly bandaged leg immediately put him on alert.

He took out a pair of scissors and cut away the bandages and splint.

Quentin's leg was swollen and had turned black. Blood was still seeping from the wound.

The senior doctor sprang to his feet. "Who bandaged this leg? The bone fragment has sliced through an artery in his leg. He's bleeding out!

"We can't save his leg!"